Control relay for circuit breakers



Oct. 15, 1929.

E. K. READ CONTROL RELAY FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS 2 Sheets$heet' 1 Filed May 12 1923 INVENTOR Ernest KEead I WITNESSES:-

JJQ/A ATTORNE'IY Oct. 15, 1929. E K READ 1,731,351

CONTROL RELAY FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS I Fil ed May 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I 4 ll I v l4 4 34 I 2a a a5 l WlTNESSESi 2/ INVENTOR flflesa Keead BY ATTORNEYII Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST K. READ, OF EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTING- HOUS E ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA CONTROL RELAY FOB CIRCUIT BREAKERS Application filed May 12,

My invention relates to circuit interrupter systems and more particularly to controlling devices therefor.

An object of my invention is to provide a switching system with a controlling device having a single pair of contact members, which are associated with suitable operating mechanism for controlling the complete operation of a circuit interrupter by a single manipulation of a starting switch.

Another object of my invention is to provide a circuit interrupter system with a controlling device which operates, upon an initial energization, to close the desired electrical circuit and latching mechanism, the latter being automatically tripped after the closing of the circuit interrupter,

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a controlling device for a circuit interrupter system with suitable mechanical and electrical parts for accomplishing the foregoing objects.

in the several figures of the drawing,

Figure 1 is a view, in elevation, of a panel board equipped with my improved controlling device.

Fig. 2 is a side view, in elevation, thereof.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of apparatus and circuits embodying my invention.

In the several figures of the drawing, similar reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a panel board 1, a knife switch 2, and a contactor which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 3.- The contactor 3 comprises a closing coil 1, a tripping coil 5, a stationary contact member 6, and a movable contact member 7 which is mounted on a lever 8 of U-shape. The lever 8 is pivotally mounted on a pin 9, and comprises two spaced members or legs 10 preferably of brass or other nonmagnetic material. A coil spring 11, which is mounted on the lever 8, is adapted to bias the contact member 7 in-a clockwise direction about its pivotal support 12, as is shown in Fig. 2. I

A member 13 of magnetic material, which also is pivotally mounted on the pin 9, is pro- I vided with. an extension 1 1 which is adapted to pass between the legs of the lever 8. The

1923. Serial No. 638,447.

pin 18 which extei'idsacross the lower end of r the lever 8. An extension 19 on the latch 16 is adapted for engagement with armature 21 of the tripping coil 5.

The extended portion 14 constitutes the armature member for the closing coil 4. A coil spring 22 is so placed that it bears against the inner side of the member 13 to normally retain the armature member in its outermostposition.

As is shown in Fig. 3, an electric circuit 23 of any desired character is controlled by a circuit interrupter 2 1 comprising a pair of stationary cont-act members 25, a movable contact member 26, a connecting toggle mechanism 27, a closing coil 28, a tripping coil 29 and an auxiliary interlock switch 31. An operating circuit 32 is provided for supplying the system with energy.

"terrupter24e The panel board 1 is equipped with a suitable magnetic blowout coil 39 and arcing shields 41 which cooperate with the relatively movable contact members 6 and 7.

In the operation of a circuit interrupter system equipped with my invention, the several elements are normally in the relative posit-ions shown in Fig. 3 and by the dotand-dash lines in Fig.- 2. The knife switch 2 is first closed. The operator then actuates the switch 33to move the contact member 36 into engagement with the stationary contact member to complete a circuit which extends from the positive side of circuit 32 through switch 33, the closing coil 4 and the right-hand blade of the knife switch 2. to the negative side of the supply circuit 32.

Upon the cnergization of the closing coil 4:, the armature 14 is drawn in a clockwise direction about-the pin 9 and the member 13 and the tail piece 15 assume thepositions shown by full lines inFig: 2. During this movement, the notch 17 in the latch 16 engages the pin 18 and draws the lever 8 in a clockwise direction about the pin 9. During the movement of the member 13, the coil spring 22 is placed under compression.

As the lever 8 is turned about its axis, the relatively movable contact members 6 and 7 are brought into juxta-position. The movable contactmeniber 7 is normally carried to a position in alinement with the axis of the spring 11, as is shown by the dotted lines in Fig.2. However, upon the engagement of the contact member, contact member 7 is caused to slightly turn in a counter-clockwise direction about its support 12 and thereby compress the spring 11, this position being shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

The closing of the contact members 6 and 7 permits current to traversethe circuit ex tending from the positive side of the supply*. circuit 32 through the lefthand side of the knife-blade switch 2, the closing coil 28 of the circuit interrupter 24, contact members 6 and 7, and the right-hand side of the knife-- blade switch 2 to thenegative side of the supply circuit 32.. Upon the energization of the .closing coil 28,- thecircuit interrupter 24 is closed, thereby completing the circuit 23. throu h the stationary contact members 25 and the movable contact member 26. The auxiliary interlock switch 31 is closed simultaneously with the circuit interrupter.

The closing of theauxiliary interlock switch 31 completes a circuit extending from the positive side of the supply circuit 32 through the contact members 35 and 36 of the operators switch 33, the tripping coil 5 of the control switch 3, the switch 31, and the right-hand side of the knife-blade switch 2 to the negative side of the supply circuit 32.

: Upon the energization of the tripping coil 5 its armature member 21 is drawn. upwardly with asnap action which frees the pin 18 from the notch 17 in the latch 16. Thelposition-of the latch 16 at the end of the upward Q p rupter provided with a closing 0011 3116. an

movement of the armature 21 is shown b dash-and-dot lines in Fig. 2.

Upon the escape of the pin 13 from the C notch 17, the spring 11 tends to expandcausing therelatively movable contact member 7 to turn about its support 12 and tosepar'ate from the stationary contact member 6. Such relative movement of the contact member tends'to produce an are which tends to blow the contact members farther apart. At thesame time, the weight of the lever 8 andits connected parts tends toturnthe lever in a counter-clockwise direction about its axis.

. This combined movement interruptsthe cir cuit through the contactmembers 6 and 7 with a resultant de-energiz'ation of the closing-coil -28.

' set forth in the appended claims.

Upon the release of the manually controlledswitch 33, the closing coil 4 is de-, energized, the armature 14is released and the coil spring 22.tlirowsthe member 13' in a counter-clocl'iwise direction about its-axis. The circuit through the tripping. coil 5' is also] interrupted by the release of the manually controlled switch 33 allowing the armature- 21 and latch 16 to fall to their lower positions,

whereuponthe notch 17 engages the pin'18 as is shown in the dot-and-dash position, in'Fig.

2. The cont actor 3 is again ready for the series of operations previously described.

- ments of the system are again in the relative positions shown in Fig. 3. v

It will, therefore, be seen that I have provided a circuit interrupter system and a controlling device therefor which. consists of few parts of simple desigin My controlling device removes the danger of automatic opening and closing of the circuit interrupter, termed pumping, by reason of the fact that the operator must release the mainclosing coil before a subsequent operation of the device may take. place.

Although Ihave described a specific em bodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be madein the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principles herein set forth. I desire, therefore,'to be limited only to the spirit and scope of my invention, as

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a circuit interauxiliary interlock switch, of a switching device for controlling the circuit of the closing coil comprising a switch contact member, an operating member therefor, a connecting mechanism between said members, an operating coil for controlling operation of the operating member and a second coil contail piece connected to said member for actuating s'aid switch, a coil for actuating the operating member and a solenoid controlled by the auxiliary interlock switch for actuating said tail piece to disconnect the switch and the operating member.

3. The combination with a circuit interrupter provided with a closing coil and an auxiliary interlock switch, of a Switching de- -vice for controlling the circuit of the closing coil comprising a switch element, an operating coil, an operating member normally in operative relation to the switch when the operating coilis first energized, and a second 'coil controlled by the auxiliary interlock switch for eliminating such operative relation until the first coil is de-energized.

4. The combination with a circuit interrupter provided with a closing coil and an auxiliary interlock switcln'of a switching de- Vice for controlling the circuit of the closing coil comprisinga switch element, an operating coil, an operating member normally in operative relation to the switch when the operating coil is first energized, a second coil controlled by the auxiliary interlock switch and means controlled thereby for controlling the operative relation between the switch and theoperating member.

In an electrical device, a pair of coils, an armaiaire member for each of said coils, a

latching-member connected to one of said armature members, a movable contact member engageable by said latching member, whereby the energization of one of said coils acttiates its member, the latching member and the movable contact member, and means for selectively energizing said coils;

(5. In an electrical device, a pair of coils, an

armature member \for each of said coils, a detachable contact member connected to said ariiiatnre member, means for energizing one oi said coils, whereby its armature member and the connected contact member are actuai'ed, and means :tor automatically energizing the other of said coils after a predetermined operation otsaid device. I

7. In an electrical device, a pair of coils, an'armature member for each of said coils, a latching mechanism connected to said armature members, a relatively movable switch member controlled by the latching mechanism, means for energizing'one of said coils whereby its armature member and the connected mechanism and switch member are actuated, and means for automatically energizing the other of said coils after a predeter- "mined operation of said device, the energization of the second coil resulting in the release of said switch member from the control of said latching'mechanism.

8. In an electrical device, a stationary contact member, a movable contact member, acoil, a plvotally mounted armature member tion of the second coil results in the tripping of said latching mechanism to release the movable contact member from the control of j the armature member for the first coil.

' 9. In an electrical dev1ce,astat1onar contactmember, a movable contact mem er, a

coil, a pivotally mounted armature member.

therefor, a'tail piece mounted on said armature member, a second coil, anarmature member therefor, a latchingmechanism connecting the tail piece of said first-mentioned armature member and said movable contact member, and means for energizing said coils,

In testimony-whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of May, 1923.

ERNEST K. READ. 

